Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-01-28
Reaysr.
E -
The Lovers Reasoning.

! Tell why 1 love herf Yes, when you
q Reveal the secrets which in snowdrops lie,
Or strain the beauty from the drops OF dew
T. Then I'll tell why.
| "a tsfss ~ ss Temple Bar.
THE PILOT OF THE REIIt
MAJOR JED. HOTCHKISS'S INTERESTING
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES A COUN-
I TRY FROM A FLYING HORSES BACK
THE IMPORTANT INFLUENCE OF TOPo-
GRAPHY UPON WAR.
[From the Boston (Mass.) Traveller, Jan, Sth ]
The Traveller few weeks ago publish
; ed, in connection with his visit to this
city, portrait and brief sketch of Major
Jed. Hotchkiss of Staunton, Virginia, but
since that time il has come into possession
of further interesting facts regarding that
gentleman's war career. Major Hotchkiss
early manifested the inclination for the
study of topography and geology, that he
turned to such good account during the
war. The first eighteen years of his boy
hood were spent on his fathers farm at
Windsor, N. z. and he soon acquired a
| local reputation for the extent of his in
formation, not only that derived from
books and the mastery of assigned studies,
| but also that of the whole surrounding
country, which he assiduously explored,
that be might become familiar with its
photography lin the wide sense of that
term) collecting specimens of rocks.
plants, Indian relics, and almost every
thing of curious interest that came in his
| way during the many solitary rambles he
| took over the country.
When he became of age he went to Ly-
kens valley in Pennsylvania, not far from
Harrisburg. where, in company with 9TH
or young men from his locality who had
been engaged for the purpose, he taught
school during the winter. He was in the
midst of the anthracite coal region, and
had opportunity for becoming familiar
| with its geology, his school duties being
light. Moved by an earnest desire to trav-
ell, that he might profit by observation.
young Hotchkiss spent the spring, sum-
summer and early autumn of 1S47, accom-
| panied by one of his fellow teachers. in q
pedestrian tour through the Cumberland
valley of Pennsylvania and Maryland, the
Piedmont region of Maryland, the Snen-
andoah and the James river PORTIONS of
the great limestone valley of Virginia,
and other sections, thus in the hundreds
| of views afoot becoming intimately fami-
| liar with large aud most interesting
section of country, one embracing por-
tions of three States that subsequently
| became the theatre Of some of the most
FAMOUS MILITARY OPERATIONS
| of the late war. His W anderings in Au-
gusta county, Virginia, subsequently led
to his being engaged to teach family
school at Messy Creek, one OF the most
beautiful spots IN the Shenandoah valley,
and this in time evolved into a large and
fourishing academy. OF which he was at
the head for II years. He subseq uently
taught select school at Stribling Springs,
and later established one at Loeb Willow
Farm, near Staunton, the county town OF
Augusta county. He was at the head of
this fourishing school when Virginia
seeded and the war began. Hotchkiss
had previous to this been an ardent Union
man, and had done all he could by word
and deed to discourage the very idea Of
secession. Lincoln's call for troops
wrought change in his, as it did in the
general public opinion in Virginia, and be
espoused the Southern cause. Volunteer
military companies were promptly organ
| lied, IA from Augusta county alone being
in the field before the first of July. Some
of them were raised and commanded by
Mr.. Hotchkiss's assistant teachers, con-
tanning number of his pupils. Others OF
them had joined other companies, SO that
his school was well nigh broken up when
the time for the close of the session, the
last, of June, came. AS soon as HOtch-
kiss had seen his pupils safely home, some
of them through the Federal lines to
| Maryland, he gathered his surveying and
mapping instruments, and went the last
of June to the Army of Northwest Vir-
ginia, then about 120 miles from his home,
on the great highway from Staunton to
Parkersburg, among the mountains of
! Appalachian Virginia, commanded by
General GARRETT, and opposing the advance
of Mcclellan. There he rendered his SER
vices to General GARRETT. at LAUREL Hill,
as Typographical engineer. He was sent
at once to Camp Garnet, at the base OF
| Rich Mountain, that was then held by
Garnett's left wing, and on his arrival
there July 2, 1861, was promptly assigned
to the duty he sought by Colonel Heck.
who was in command. He at once pro-
ceeded to examine and map the camp and
surrounding country. When General
Mcclellan attacked this position July IL
thus surrounding the Virginia forces,
| late in the day, but not moving on them,
Ho,chkiss, at about midnight, was Or
dered
TO CONDUCT A RETREAT
through darkness and heavy rainfall by
a blind path he had previously found
through swampy thicket, the only way
| left open by the Federal forces. He led
the way followed by the little army in
single fle The orders, without his know
ledge, were subsequently changed but
with the advance, most of one company
from his own county, he made good his
retreat for many miles through the woods
into the highway, and then across seven
mountain ranges, until he met reinforce
ments. The rest of the army, after wan
l derinp two nights and daY. YolnntariIu